I’m always amazed at the origin and tradition of takeaway foods. Consider the humble hamburger—just meat between a bun, yet an international staple. In South Africa, we have the boerewors roll, which has become a go-to meal on the move. Samosas, too—triangular parcels of spiced meat, usually small but punchy in flavor. And then there’s the toasted sandwich, now inflated in price and rebranded as a “toastie.” Hot dogs are so rare these days that if you’re craving one, it’s probably better to make it at home.
Pizza has carved its place in the local scene, with smaller, eat-on-the-go sizes widely available. Johannesburg used to be famous for its shawarmas—thankfully, you can still find some very decent versions that add a Mediterranean flair to our fast-food landscape.
But today, let’s talk pies—specifically, takeaway pies in South Africa in 2025.
Yesterday, I bought a Big Jack mutton curry pie. I hadn’t had one in literal decades, and while it was tasty, the filling was sparse compared to something like a Pieman’s pie or the generously packed steak curry pie from Checkers. While supermarket pies have their place, I’m focusing here on takeaway pies—the kind that offer a small business or food stall operator an entrepreneurial foothold in a tough economy.
Interestingly, I don’t see many pies at Cape Town’s Saturday morning markets or food stalls. Perhaps the price is too high, or maybe the category never really took off again post-COVID. Still, for someone with flair and a good recipe, it’s an area with potential.
The Market Landscape in 2025
The market for takeaway pies in South Africa is recovering, but it’s not without challenges. In 2020, the pies and savoury appetisers sector was worth roughly ZAR 13.64 billion and had been growing at over 5% CAGR pre-pandemic.
COVID-19, however, hit the sector hard—especially the ban on hot pie sales during lockdowns. A 15–20% sales dip followed, and volumes have not fully recovered as of 2025. High inflation, rising energy costs, and load shedding continue to squeeze margins. Smaller producers, especially those focused solely on hot pies, have struggled or closed down altogether. Larger manufacturers with diversified offerings have managed to survive the storm more robustly.
So while the pie market is still standing, it’s a cautious, constrained sort of standing—one eye always on the power grid, the other on input costs.
Who’s Still Serving the Good Stuff?
Despite economic turbulence, South Africa still has some fantastic pies being made—both by large franchises and independent gems.
Well-known Brands & Franchises:
- Pieman’s – A long-standing favorite for reliable quality and wide availability.
- King Pie – A familiar name offering a wide variety of fillings.
- Big Joe’s Pies – Handmade pies with a growing reputation for using quality ingredients.
- Woolworths – Supermarket pies, yes, but their Pepper Steak and Chicken varieties are often praised for flavor and consistency.
Popular Farm Stalls and Independent Bakeries:
- Houw Hoek Farm Stall (Western Cape) – Especially well known for their Bobotie pies.
- Peregrine Farm Stall (Western Cape) – Excellent steak curry and venison pies.
- Nanaga Farm Stall (Eastern Cape) – Lamb & mint, chicken, and other traditional favorites.
- Ou Meul Bakkery (various locations) – Lamb pies often singled out.
- Shamrock Pie (Eastern Cape) – Freshly baked and hearty.
- Maders Butcher (Pretoria) – Good meat pies with strong local support.
- The Pie Crew – A newer brand modernising the “garage pie” with big, handmade options.
- Alphen Spar (Cape Town) – Butter chicken pies have earned a loyal following.
- Beavers (Port Alfred) – A nostalgic go-to for classic pepper steak.
- Jason Bakery (Cape Town) – Artisanal pastry meets comfort food.
- Truth Café (Cape Town) – Known more for coffee but offers occasional gourmet pies.
- Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room (Cape Town) – Flaky, filling pies as part of a broader comfort menu.
- Loaves on Long (Cape Town) – Primarily a bread spot, but the pies are worth trying when available.
Johannesburg & Surrounds:
- Nice on 4th (Parkhurst) – Known for hearty breakfast and lunch pies in a sit-down setting.
- Savvy Pies (various outlets) – A Joburg-born brand offering both traditional and gourmet flavours.
- Bryanston Organic Market – Occasional pie vendors with excellent vegetarian and gluten-free pastry options.
- The Argentinean Bakery (Linden) – Their empanadas aren’t technically pies, but they satisfy a similar craving with top-notch pastry and meat.
- Croydon Bakery (Edenvale) – Known for traditional meat pies at great value.
- The Whippet (Linden) – Gourmet, smaller batch offerings—chicken, beef and occasional bobotie pies.
- Voodoo Lily Café (Birdhaven) – Upscale take on the classic chicken and mushroom.
- Bossies Pies (Cresta) – lets you watch the magic happen, pastry and all.
Even Hartbeespoort Dam and its surrounds offer pie gems like Jasmyn Plaasprodukte, a farm stall worth a visit for fresh produce and hearty eats.
And then there’s Maggie’s Home of the Chicken Pie near Lanseria, on the way to Hartbeespoort Dam. If you’ve ever driven out that way, this may be the farm stall you remember—crammed with filling, flaky and hot, and wrapped in the kind of memory that smells like childhood and Sunday drives.
South Africa’s Top Pie Fillings (As Rated by Local Tastebuds):
- Pepper Steak
- Chicken & Mushroom
- Mutton Curry
- Bobotie
- Venison
- Lamb & Mint
- Steak & Kidney
In conclusion, the takeaway pie in South Africa may not be booming in 2025, but it’s resilient. There’s still space in the market for innovation, especially among small-scale producers willing to push quality and flavour. And let’s face it—there’s something deeply satisfying about a hot pie in a brown paper bag, eaten with one hand while walking through a market or waiting for your car at a car wash.
Who knows? The next big food trend might not be something new, but something baked golden brown and wrapped in buttery nostalgia.
